Twitter Embraces Cannabis Advertising, MN Moves to Legalize Recreational Cannabis, and US Senate Approves Research for Veterans with PTSD
Twitter has become the first major social media platform to embrace cannabis advertising, allowing approved advertisers to promote products in the United States and Canada under certain restrictions. The move has been welcomed by cannabis companies, who have long been denied access to mainstream advertising channels, and comes after the company's owner, Elon Musk, made headlines for his own cannabis use.
The new policy, announced late yesterday, allows approved cannabis advertisers to target users in areas of Canada and the US where marijuana is legal. Ads may only promote “informational or brand-preference content” and must not glamorize cannabis use, appeal to minors, or advertise the price or distribution of cannabis.[0] Celebrities and athletes cannot endorse cannabis in ads, and US advertisers cannot show people using cannabis products or people under the influence of cannabis.[1] Users must not be encouraged to cross state lines, nor must false or misleading claims be made in regards to marijuana health benefits.[0]
Only licensed advertisers can expect to be pre-authorized by Twitter and they must agree to accept full responsibility for complying with laws.[2] Targeting in the US is restricted to Twitter users aged 21 and over.[0]
Advertisers must also target only jurisdictions in which they are licensed to promote products or services online and are responsible for complying with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and advertising guidelines.[3]
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain may soon benefit from marijuana research, following the U.S. Senate Committee's approval of a bipartisan bill that would direct the VA to conduct research into the safety and efficacy of cannabis products.
The bill directs the VA office to conduct a large-scale observational trial assessing veterans' use of cannabis, and to report on its ability to mitigate pain, improve sleep, and influence subjects' intake of prescription medicines or alcohol.[4]
The President issued marijuana-specific pardons in October 2022, allowing thousands of people with federal criminal records for simple possession of marijuana to receive pardons that could help them obtain employment, housing, education, and more. The president also granted additional pardons for people with marijuana or other drug convictions at the end of last year.
At the end of 2020, the Minnesota House Education Finance Committee approved a bill that would legalize recreational cannabis.[5] The bill includes a provision to expunge minor marijuana convictions, and the governor has pardoned all criminal convictions for simple possession of marijuana.[6]
0. “Doobie-us: Pot ads come to Twitter amid cannabis industry collapse …” arstechnica.com, 18 Feb. 2023, https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/02/twitter-allows-weed-ads-the-move-could-alienate-its-top-advertisers/
1. “Twitter Allows Cannabis Advertisers to Promote in the U.S. and …” mgmagazine.com, 18 Feb. 2023, https://mgmagazine.com/cannabis-news/twitter-allows-cannabis-advertisers-to-promote-in-the-u-s-and-canada/
2. “Twitter greenlights ads for cannabis, THC brands – News” www.mmm-online.com, 18 Feb. 2023, https://www.mmm-online.com/home/channel/twitter-greenlights-ads-for-cannabis-thc-brands/
3. “Twitter will allow cannabis ads in parts of the United States …” www.morningstar.com, 18 Feb. 2023, https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20230216351/twitter-will-allow-cannabis-ads-in-parts-of-the-united-states
4. “US Senate Committee Advances Bill Facilitating Cannabis …” norml.org, 18 Feb. 2023, https://norml.org/blog/2023/02/16/us-senate-committee-advances-bill-facilitating-cannabis-research-among-veterans/
5. “Recreational cannabis passes another MN House committee | News …” www.willmarradio.com, 18 Feb. 2023, https://www.willmarradio.com/news/recreational-cannabis-passes-another-mn-house-committee/article_abdf4658-aec4-11ed-8550-f78f2b27cd1a.html
6. “Advisory board to meet about cannabis law | News …” www.virginislandsdailynews.com, 18 Feb. 2023, http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/advisory-board-to-meet-about-cannabis-law/article_bdbc62a8-d32a-5407-8d28-14edc1dd1d68.html
